'Daniel' | What is the HBO documentary about and is it worth watching
Please note that the content below contains facts in the public record that may spoil the viewing pleasure for some.
Documentary name: Daniel
Platform: HBO/MAX
Country of origin: USA
Date of Release: December 20, 2023
Genre: Documentary
Who was Daniel Northcott?
Daniel Northcott was a globe-trotter in every sense of the term and he documented every bit of every trip. Spanning nine years Daniel traveled to over 40 countries, but it was his visit to a Mayan burial site in a cave in Mexico that proved to be fateful (to those who believe in the superstition surrounding the site). Daniel was warned by locals not to take anything from the site as it would bring 'illness' to those who did. Unfazed, Daniel would remove a piece of bone from the site and take it back home to Vancouver. A few months later Daniel was diagnosed with leukemia, which would eventually kill him. He was 29.
Before his death, Daniel edited and released a 40-minute film 'Sketches of Roam' gleaned from the over 1,000 hours of footage he had filmed on his travels. After Daniel's death, friends and family returned the bone to the Mayan cave.
The documentary 'Daniel' ties together the hours of footage he shot to create a film that's moving and tragic in as much as it's the story of a young man exploring not just the world but what it means to be human.
Is 'Daniel' worth watching?
The story of Daniel Northcott is intriguing even if you don't buy into the Mayan burial site theory, and with a production team featuring Adam McKay it's sure to have solid bones. We'd definitely give it a watch.
MEAWW Watch ranking
3 out of 5
'Daniel' trailer
